The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) is the comprehensive law which set forth the fundamental rights necessary to ensure all children with a handicapping condition receive a free appropriate public education and related services as needed to meet their unique needs. The spirit and letter of the law calls for parents, school, and where possible, the child, to work together to create an appropriate Individual Education Plan for the benefit of each child.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Department of Education has the responsibility for the education of all children. Local school districts are responsible for fulfilling the instructional and transportation mandates for the school age* children within that district including those students who have special needs (handicapped). The school district may provide the special education with district facilities and personnel, or may elect to have a portion or all of these services provided by another school district, educational service provider, i.e. Intermediate Unit, or private school.

Registration for school-age education must be initiated at the school district administration office that serves the geographic area where the child resides. In Berks County Early Intervention (preschool) program registration is taken at either Easter Seal Society (for ages birth to 3 years) or the Berks County Intermediate Unit preschool office (for ages 3 years to school age).

*school age – children from the earliest admission age to a school district’s kindergarten program or, when no kindergarten program is provided, the district’s earliest admission age for beginners.